Opinions Please

Some of you read my post about a potential VEGETARIAN family wanting to place their kids with me. I already had concerns about the vegetarian part which some of you helped me with :)

The mom interviewed with me on Tuesday EARLY morning, and then came for a visit with her kids. Her son loved it here and did not want to leave.

According to the mom, she is desperate to find care and is currently taking time off work because she has no care for them.

Financially, it would be good as I have a family leaving with the same age kids as this new family has coming in. But, I don't know yet for sure if they are going to take the spots.

But, my feeling is she may not be too easy to work with. I called her and told her that I have another family interviewing for the infant spot tonight (which I don't--I just need her to make a decision since she wants her kids to start to Monday). She told me "thanks for the heads up. You'll be hearing from me soon." which makes me think she's not confident about placing her kids here. That's fine. I really don't care. I have a couple of months before the other family leaves.

But, I would think that after an interview and a visit during dc hours, she should know whether or not she feels as if this is a good fit. Idk, maybe not. I've never had a family act this way before. Those who are with me decided fairly quickly and were afraid the spots would fill up (which, fortunately, they do), so they grabbed them quickly.

For a mom who says she is desperate, wants her kids to start Monday, and says she has already lost spots because she didn't get back to them in time, and begged me not to fill them (which of course I would if another family wanted them), she isn't claiming them very quickly.

I guess the reason that I'm kind of anxious about this is because I do have my LOVELY family leaving (true in a couple of months), and if this mom starts with her kids on Monday, I need to hire some extra help (which I've done--they are just waiting to get the go ahead from me).

Comments (7)

Like you said, most parents interview with you, see your space, take the paperwork home and start the next monday.

Almost ALL the kids I have and have had in the past do it this way. I know most, like Jenzz usually recommends that you email back and forth, talk on the phone, then meet once or twice... but there is never opportunity for that in the families I have calling.

Almost every call is about me and my daycare, prices, hours, etc. We set up a time to meet, they see my home, I go over what my policies and procedures are, They take paperwork home and I usually have an answer during that initial interview. Toward the end of the interview, they ask, can we start monday? or when can we start? That is how it has gone for me.

The last time I had an ad out, I didn't put my phone number down. I got one email, which unfortunately went to my junk mail. I responded to it several hours later (once i discovered it in my junk mail) and they responded back with I wasn't quick enough and they already found care. Most people are looking for something immediately unless it's a newborn, or a going back to work situation because most people who have left a daycare or been terminated from a daycare need something immediate so there is no lapse in care.

It sounds to me like this mom has already found care and isn't wanted to let you down? But I don't understand the part about really loving you and your daycare and expressing the need for care so immediately? I guess I'm just as confused as you are! LOL

I'll add too... What I have noticed between my own experiences and experiences posted on the daycare board are that if you don't have an answer after your interview, they most likely don't come back... I have enrolled every.single.family that has interviewed me with the exception of the first person I ever interviewed (she lived about 30 min away but worked nearby and felt it was better to find somewhere close to home, not work, which i agreed) Like I said, if they leave without giving you an answer, they most likely are "still looking" or aren't interested.

When you know something is right, you just know. My current parents have told me that the minute they walked into my home and met me, they knew they were going to place their kids in my care. And a year and a half later, I still have them! :)

LilLearnersDaycare: That is EXACTLY how it works with me! So this is very odd to me.

tvaddicted: That is an excellent point and one I keep thinking repeatedly in my mind. I'm ALMOST to the point where if I don't hear from her until tomorrow I'm going to say the spots have already been filled.

I have had a ton of responses w/ email back and forth, back and forth honestly it's only been a waste of my time. I think there are so many providers out there these emailers are contacting everyone and asking $, hours, all the what ifs. KNIM?

But the ones who, after one phone conversation, come and interview always ask if they can sign contract on the spot and when they can start.I think it goes both ways for them and us you know by the end of the interview. If you are sort of questioning the fit, maybe it's not meant to be and you can let it go. If you come to that in your mind, you don't have to wait on her. Just take the other family.

I interviewed w/ an adorable family over break, they wanted to sign that night. I told them I needed to wait I'd been communicating (email) w/ a family for over a week and had promised an interview. The email family turned out to be not good at all. Called adorable family, left message, they got back to me and had found a center and given deposit. I should have gone w/ my gut, taken adorable family. Not waited on email family.

I have families that want to sign up that day, but haven't interviewed any other people. I send them off to do that & get back to me later in the wk or month. I don't mind losing families to cheaper providers.

I would just let her know if you are full if you don't want to wait on them. Remember they are needing your services. You aren't being hired by them.

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